Hi\~
I’m a 25 year old American female currently working in Korea. At the end of my current contract in December, I will have 3 years of experience here. Now that corona is over and Japan is open, I am wanting to change to Japan.
I studied abroad in Japan for a year in university and I studied Japanese for 3\~4 years during that time, so my Japanese is currently around N3 level although I’ve forgotten a fair bit, but I’m sure I can get it back quickly.
I’ve been working at hagwons in Korea and am curious about how the process in Japan is. I specifically want to work in Tokyo as I have my friends there and I want to avoid jobs that will make me hate my life. I’ve heard to avoid the big companies (JET, AEON, etc.) But I don’t know too much more about it. In Korea we have many group pages where teachers advertise job openings at their places of work so it’s a bit easier to find a decent school, but I’ve been unable to find something similar.
What types of jobs would you recommend, especially for someone who doesn’t want to have a terrible work/life balance and enough money to survive?
I’ve heard my experience in Korea won’t count for anything, hopefully my study abroad experience and Japanese ability will help a bit?
Currently before taxes I make 2.5m won a month, plus a 500k won untaxed housing allowance. After taxes, it’s around 2.2m + the 500k, so about 2.7m won after taxes. How big of a difference can I expect in Japan?
Just general advice for someone wanting to make this move 🙂
Thank you\~
12 comments
Most of the time there is no housing allowance at all. So you lose that and the rent. Tokyo is going to make that a little pricey. The before tax pay, aside from losing the housing allowance and rent, is about the same at hagwon’s Japanese equivalent.
JET is usually pretty good(financially and schedule-wise, at least), but they aren’t hiring now. Tokyo has tons of jobs, but also tons of teachers already in the country willing to work there.
I taught in both. I’ve been in Japan longer because that is the groove I got into. I liked both.
That’s about ¥275,000 a month and it’s just a little high for starting positions in Tokyo, but not impossible. Don’t count out JET if you apply from Korea, though ensuring a position in Tokyo probably won’t be 100% possible.
I would start contacting the Tokyo metropolitan board of education.
Put together a nice presentation, stress your English, Japanese and undoubtedly your Korean language skills as well as your hours in the classroom. (Total it up, it’s an important indicator)
Get a conversation going with your contact, zoom as soon as possible. Hiring (like most positions) is based on personality.
You can contact the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (TMBE) for information about high schools in Tokyo with English departments by visiting their website or contacting their Education Counselling Center.
The Education Counselling Center is a service provided by the TMBE to assist students and parents with their inquiries about education in Tokyo….they are also an excellent way to get personally referred to the BOE.
The contact details for the Education Counselling Center are as follows:
Phone: +81-3-5320-7744 (available from Monday to Friday, 9:00-17:00 JST)
Email: kikaku@kyoiku.metro.tokyo.jp
Check TMBE’s website and look for information about high schools with English departments.
The website is available in English, and you can find information about schools, admission requirements, and contact information for the TMBE.
The website address is https://www.kyoiku.metro.tokyo.jp/en/
Think outside of the box.
Best of luck.
I don’t know who told you to avoid JET, but they were wrong. JET is by far the most cushy English ‘teaching’ job in Japan, besides maybe some direct hire positions at universities and private schools.
It also isn’t a company. It’s a government sponsored ALT programme, similar to EPIK.
It pays much more than other ALT or Eikaiwa jobs (other jobs are around 200,000-270,000 a month before tax. JET starts on 280,000 and goes up to 330,000 by your 4th year). It also has shorter working hours, more paid time off than most jobs, and (for most people) very low workload and stress.
The catch however is that it is pretty competitive to get into, the application process is long, and you need to be in your home country for a lot of the process. Also you have no real say in where you’re placed.
If you are dead set on a specific location, or would prefer to do eikaiwa work instead of ALT work, then you can search for a job on somewhere like Gaijinpot.com, or OhayoSensei.
Hello, former Korean Hagwon worker for 4 years
2 years in Seoul and 2 on Jeju Island 🏝
I’m trying to transition as well to Japan, I’m working on masters hoping to get into international schools to avoid ekiawas. I asked a similar question and everyone told me housing wasn’t covered, nor flights, nor really any of the incentives we have in Korea. Jet seems like the most cuishy in terms of pay, but they may put you in the countryside, and I know you want Tokyo. Eikawas are low pay and high stress from what I’ve seen in these reddit groups.I think you’ll do well, and it helps you know some Japanese. Good luck!! 👍
You’re right – your experience won’t count without qualifications.
For a newcomer to Japan without qualifications, the best choice is the JET Programme which opens applications in autumn for starts in the next year. The salary is comparable or a little more than the salary you indicated.
There is a lot here I can’t really advise you, but I’d like to add some information you might be unaware.
Most posts/ads about salary are mostly giving you the gross amount. From whatever you get paid you will be deducted health insurance, pension and income tax. After your first year (or months) you will be charged resident tax every year. You should get familiar with r/japanlife and r/Japanfinance.
There are many types of “teaching” jobs, ranging from dispatch alt, eikaiwa, “International” kindergarten (usually the international part is just a marketing strategy and they aren’t proper accredited international schools), accredited international schools, universities and I’m sure I’m missing a few others. Accredited international schools/universities will require qualifications/license and whatever else they might think is necessary, they will also pay way more than your regular dispatch alt/eikaiwa.
Companies usually pay for transportation, but as you figured out, that’s about it. Usually there is no bonus, housing, allowance etc for your typical dispatch alt/eikaiwa etc.
There are a shit ton of people in your position, meaning, for whatever reason they really want to come to Japan and are willing to accept pretty much anyway, which is exactly what most dispatch companies/eikaiwa. It’s a saturared market, unfortunately.
Get very familiar with all the taxes and cost of living before you make a final decision and good luck
Stay in Korea. That job is better than 99% of jobs you qualify for in Japan.
For whatever it’s worth as a case study, I just got a 275k job in Tokyo with an eikawa. You have to pay housing but it’s capped at 55k. Getting a Tokyo job seems pretty easy, I asked for a big city but specifically said I don’t expect Tokyo and was open minded and they still put me there. So I guess despite the downsides (aka workload and suits), eikawas are good for competitive locations. Commuting is longer in cities (unlike with hagwons where they’re usually right by the school) but the company covers the costs and they offer a one time flight allowance up to a certain amount. If you want to know anything else about the details you can message me 🙂
Whoever told you to avoid JET are people who have never worked in Japan. JET is the golden standard for a job where you do nothing and get paid decently (compared to all other entry level “English teaching.”) Also JET is not a company. It’s a government funded program like Korea’s EPIC. The only downsides of JET is that you have to apply in your home country at a physical location and you cannot apply for it within Japan. There’s a good chance they’ll send you to some bumfuck nowhere in the countryside. Positives include; shakai hoken rather than national pension, starting salary of 280k per month that increases per year, subsidized housing etc.
There’s almost 0 chance you will get a position in Tokyo or Osaka as JET. Everyone and their dog wants to be placed there and many of the contracts are taken by cheaper dispatch companies. Last year, Interac lost hundreds of contracts within the Kanto area because they asked the BoEs to pay more. There’s a law that if you work more than 40 hours per week, you are eligible for shakai hoken (health insurance). However many of these dispatch and eikaiwa companies write in your contract that you will be working 38.5 hours per week. Even though you do stay at school longer than 40 hours per week. Do you know how they get away with this? You are only paid for the 6 periods of school and the time between each period, lunch break and after school are not paid lmao. A dumb loophole that got revised last year which forced many of these scummy companies to transition their workers into the shakai hoken plan.
JET is essentially an ALT job. They have no more responsibilities than other ALTs from dispatch companies like Interac, Borderlink, Heart etc. Except these jobs pay as low as 180k per month to 215k. If you need to drive to the schools they’ll give you an extra allowance. ***AVOID HEART***. Absolute dogshit company. The best of the worst in the ALT industry is Interac. ALT gig is probably the best if you want to have the best work/life balance at the cost of low earnings. Also two of the months are prorated as in you get like 60% of the monthly salary and some companies will not pay you an entire months salary for summer holiday break (Borderlink and Heart).
Popular eikaiwa/hagwon companies are ECC, Berlitz, Aeon, Nova, Gaba, Kids Duo, Peppy Kids Club etc. They are all pretty bad but most people say Berlitz and ECC are the better ones. Eikaiwas pay better than ALTs but it’s longer hours and work on 1 weekend. Aeon is told to be more of a sales job where they’ll pressure you to sell textbooks to clients. Starting salary for eikaiwas are 250k to 300k.
I would also like to echo what u/DeadSerious said. That you will be paying city tax and just more taxes in general after your first year. This is cos they tax you based on last year, however if you’re in your first year in Japan, there’s nothing to base it off. In addition don’t forget the “compulsory” monthly pension and health insurance payments. On top of a low salary you will have to pay around 19,000 yen health insurance and 19,000 yen pension per month (it’s based on your income). Even though many foreigners who are on national pension (kokumin kenko hoken) ignore it entirely.
edit: I lived and worked in Japan for 4 years.
> At the end of my current contract in December, I will have 3 years of experience here. Now that corona is over and Japan is open, I am wanting to change to Japan.
1. COVID’s not ‘over’. Restrictions are gone but like… the virus still exists and new variants keep emerging, ay 😉
2. My Initial thought is cool… but after 3 years, when are you gonna draw the line? You’re still young and should rightfully be enjoying your time teaching/travelling in Asia. Just be mindful that experience in the English teaching industry doesn’t add up for much in terms of career progression. Thus, you’ll wanna draw a line.
> I’ve been working at hagwons in Korea and am curious about how the process in Japan is.
Probably similar? Apply for a job, get a visa and follow their systems. Drink a lot, travel…etc.
> I specifically want to work in Tokyo as I have my friends there and I want to avoid jobs that will make me hate my life. I’ve heard to avoid the big companies (JET, AEON, etc.) But I don’t know too much more about it.
‘Avoid JET’ said nobody… ever. It’s the gold standard as it pays the most and has the best conditions.
My only comment is that ‘jobs in Tokyo’ might be easier if working for eikaiwas (such as gasp… AEON or Nova) because they are in shopping centres and stuff. Not saying the big schools are amazing (I get why people avoid them) but IMO they’re one of the best ways to get a visa and learn the basics of what’s expected in Japanese EFL lessons. Rightly or wrongly, learning ‘how to do a Nova lesson’ set me up pretty well in terms of getting a visa, networking (in Tokyo) and then finding a path to a small-town Eikaiwa (more small/intimate sorta environment, which is what I wanted).
> In Korea we have many group pages where teachers advertise job openings at their places of work so it’s a bit easier to find a decent school, but I’ve been unable to find something similar.
Once you’re in Japan with a visa I think it’ll be easier to find all that. A super emotional dude living in Taiwan recently shared his (lengthy) experience trying to navigate these boards from overseas. In short, smaller schools can be great but most recruit from within Japan unless they’re REALLY desperate as they’ll be mum and dad businesses that can’t afford to wait 6 months for a new teacher and won’t have an HR unit to process visas/accommodation…etc. Many that look to hire people who are overseas will say things like ‘just come over on a tourist visa’, which could get you into all kinds of shit.
My job in japan is pretty rare and I get paid 30 man plus housing allowance… but I work as a T1 in a private junior high… I also get 4x salary bonuses twice a year… my job is very rare… most jobs in japan are like 240,000~ 250,000 if you are lucky and don’t add rent… most people are struggling teaching as ALT. If you have have teaching credential like I do you might be able to find something good but … if you don’t then stay in Korea go to Vietnam or China
The main difference between hagwon and eikaiwa is that in Korea you can wear your normal clothes, in Japan they expect you to be in a suit. At some companies, a black suit. You also won’t get an end of contract bonus aside from at big companies like Aeon. Small eikaiwas don’t have to offer as much free stuff as they do in Korea, like end of contract money or free housing. You won’t save as much because the cost of living while still very low, is higher.
Aside from that, the job is the pretty much the same but in Japan you can teach more adults. It’s impossible to avoid kids teaching in Korea as that’s the biggest business.
I did both and in a nutshell, Japan, more convenient, Korea, more modern. Korea also far more casual and I could go to the gym and the sauna with *gasp* tattoos and in was no issue.